Downy Woodpecker

 

I enjoy watching the birds in my back yard.  I have two hanging feeders and a wire suet holder.  The sunflower seed and suet cost me about $10 a month, but the little birds provide me hours of peaceful relaxation.  The Downy woodpeckers are especially interesting.  They hang all over the suet feeder and seem just as comfortable upside down as right side up.  They run up tree trunks just as easy as they run down.  That’s because of their curious feet.  The great Creator made them with two toes on the front of their feet and two toes on the back of their feet.  All other birds have three toes on the front and one toe on the back.  But the good Lord made the Downy woodpecker with two toes on the back so they could be just as comfortable upside down as not.  If all birds evolved, how did the Downy woodpecker’s three and one to configuration evolve into a two and two configuration?  Any scenario explaining how that third toe moved from the front of their foot to the back of their foot defies logic.  There is no way that evolution can explain it.  It’s just a God thing.  John said in his gospel, John 1:3, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”  Thank you, little Downy woodpecker, for your testimony to your awesome Creator.  And thank you, dear Lord for reminding me of your care for the Downy woodpecker AND for your care for me.  Hey, have you thanked your awesome Creator today?  Right now might be a good time.

Authority

Years ago, as a new teacher, I learned a valuable lesson.  I had a dear friend who taught with me at Berean Academy in Hixson, Tennessee.  Our school administrator took another position, and my friend, Steve, was promoted to be my boss.  We worked well at school in our new relationship.  On Sundays, I was our church choir director, and my friend sang in the choir.  So, on Sunday, I was his boss, and on Monday, he was my boss.  We never had an authority struggle because we were committed to being good friends.  But submission doesn’t come easy for us.  Paul told us in Romans 13:1&2, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.”  Pretty strong admonition.  Hey, our country is wracked by social unrest, looting, and even anarchy.  But the Lord admonishes us to submit to civil government and to submit to church leadership.  Hey, none of us likes to submit!  But we all have a boss.  And our boss has a boss.  And ultimately, everyone is accountable to God.  Hey, swallow a little pride and submit to authority.  Everything will go much smoother … for you and for your boss.  Try it today.  You’ll be glad that you did.

 

What's In a Name?

 

What’s in a name?  Nathan’s Famous hot dogs originated on Coney Island, New York.  Nathan Handwerker worked at a hot dog stand but moved out on his own in 1916 just a few doors down from his former employer.  To bring in customers, he named his hot dog stand, “Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs”.  There was nothing famous about his hot dogs, he just named them “famous”.  We have Lifetime tables in our cafeteria at school.  Unfortunately, when I tried to replace a broken table, I found out that the word “Lifetime” meant nothing.  The tables were not guaranteed for a lifetime.  The Acropolis Five Stars Restaurant and Grill at Hamilton Place Mall was named so by the owner, Betty Kyrikiedis.  She has five children, who are her “five stars”.  The Acropolis is a fine restaurant, but the “five stars” has nothing to do with their ratings.  Hey, what’s in your name?  When someone mentions your name, what comes to their mind?  Do people say, “____ is a good worker.”?  Do they say, “____ is trustworthy.”?  Do they say, “____ is a pleasure to be around.”?  What is your reputation?  Solomon said in Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.”  Your reputation is more valuable than gold!  Hey, work on a good reputation today.  You’ll be glad that you did.